Dirty Javelina

I had my woman's bible study group on Monday night. I always look forward to these, as I never fail to leave feeling refreshed and spiritually rejuvenated. It's like going to a spa, only for the soul. The focus on Monday night centered around prayer, and how prayer changes passions. One thought you need to know in order to connect its applicability to this situation is this: sometimes we pray, but we hold some things we don't want to let go of behind our backs- as if God doesn't know what we are up to. As I made my way home, I pondered on that thought, and realized that doing that is not such an uncommon problem for me. At times, I tend to not want to let things out of my control. Even though I know it is not my place to worry, but to lay my worry at His feet, I lay it at His feet but keep a crumb to hold on to for whatever convoluted reason. When I arrived home, I walked into a situation that would test this very topic. Wade sat on the floor holding Boudreaux, dabbing ointment on her shoulder wound. The menacing cause of this site was none other than a dirty, filthy javelina bite to the shoulder. Up to that day, I had no beef with the creatures. They'd never bothered us, just shaded up in the trees in the background, or pilfered the grounds for a morsel of delight. You may rest assured that should one be brave enough to set foot in our yard again, remorse might describe their plight.I felt completely overwhelmed and angry. Of late, Boudini the Great has lost her hearing, learned she has a large foreign tumor growing in her spleen, and now attacked on the shoulder by a rancid oversized member of the rat family. It struck me that there's no reason to fret and worry about the things that are beyond us. I strife to really let my worries go, and allow prayer to change the passions of my heart. Our hearts won't change overnight. But with consistent prayer, God continues to dab away the dirt and grime that attach themselves to our hearts, until we are left only with one that is ready to serve Him.

Tuesday I had a workshop in Corpus. I love workshop days on account of the extended lunch period. No cramming food down in 28 minutes flat, a leisurely lunch is much more suited to my taste. The service center is right behind Ocean Drive, and a nifty little art museum with a lunch cafe sits cozily across the street. For lunch, a group of us walked over to enjoy the fare. As I sat there, taking in the splendor of the nearby marina, slowly relishing in my White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, a phone call snapped me back to present time. Turns out, the sub couldn't finish the day because he became quite frustrated with the kids. Again, I couldn't help but connect this to our spiritual lives. I wonder how many times God has gotten so frustrated with our decision making and ill aligned priorities, but He never gives up on us. We are always welcomed with open arms no matter the infraction.

I am thankful for the ever present strength of faith and the all enduring forgiveness of our Father- even when we push it to the limit.